Prayer is hard for me.
I often have a hard time quieting my soul enough to focus on the words I pray, much less the people I pray for.
And let’s be real, I know I’m not the only one who accidentally falls asleep when I’m praying.
Prayer is an amazing gift, and I think that sometimes we don’t fully grasp that. At least we don’t act like we understand it. If you’re anything like me, you might have big ideals and goals regarding prayer, but those goals often get nudged aside by fatigue, forgetfulness or poor planning.
Listing specific ways to pray for people can be a helpful tool to stay focused as we approach the throne of grace.
In this article, I want to share four specific things we can pray for our pastors. There are so many reasons for us to be consistently lifting up our pastors in prayer.
Prayer is a real and genuine form of help and support, and we have been gifted unlimited access to it. This is a tool to help you utilize that gift more effectively.
1. Pray for strength
Pastors are leaders and leading takes an incredible amount of strength. We should be praying for God to grant unnatural strength to our pastors so that they may face their tasks with grace and wisdom. Pastors can experience exhaustion physically, emotionally, and spiritually. We can support our pastors by praying for God to strengthen their bodies and their hearts so that they can do what they are called to do with excellence.
2. Pray for protection from temptation
Pastors are fallen, depraved human beings just like you and me. Spiritual maturity and leadership status don’t make pastors exempt from temptation. We can be praying for the protection of our pastors from temptation. We can also pray that our pastors will face temptation with integrity and strength.
3. Pray for his family
Yes, I am biased because I am a pastor’s kid. But seriously, your pastor’s family needs prayer. Balance is notoriously hard for pastors and their families. So, pray. Pray for your pastor’s marriage, that it would be protected and strong. Pray for your pastor’s wife, that she would have strength and wisdom to know how to best help her husband fulfill his responsibilities to his family and his church. Pray for your pastor’s kids, that they would love and follow God. I honestly think this is one of the greatest ways to support your pastor. Support his family.
4. Pray for wisdom
As ministers and teachers of the Word, pastors are in desperate need of wisdom. It takes wisdom to read and apply the scriptures. It takes wisdom to counsel. It takes wisdom to lead. Pray often for wisdom for your pastor. Pray that he will be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit as he and leads and teaches the church.
This is not meant to be a comprehensive list of things to pray for your pastor, but a starting point for anyone searching for practical direction in their prayer life. I hope it encourages you to support your pastor in prayer.
How do you pray for your pastor?
Let me know in the comments!
-Alathia
Alathia Hayes 
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